GEM PTY: Want to Be a Superstar Brand?

Outsource sales and marketing firm GEM PTY (Global Events Marketing) use their knowledge of brand awareness to identify how even small brands can become superstars.

Brand awareness and reputation should be very important to every business. Initially, offering good customer service and having a good reputation, will create a loyal customer base ensuring that the brand will do well.

A study by agency Leo Burnett wanted to look further into why certain brands are so popular, and how failing brands can increase popularity.

GEM Pty suggest many marketers believe that brand popularity relates only to how many products are sold but the study found that there is more to it than just sales figures. Popularity is not easy to maintain. The study analysed 5,000 responses to popularity and brand attributes of 50 FMCG brands. Based on these attributes and popularity scores the study was able to divide the brands into four categories: superstars, rising starts, settled greats and former glories.

The study demonstrates the journey towards brand popularity and highlights the different elements that drive brands to success:

Affinity: Measure by customer responses such as trust, having an emotional connection, brand empathy and appreciation of quality.

Visibility: The notion that a brand is everywhere, both in physical distribution and mental recall of advertising.

Differentiation: Based on personality, such as whether a brand is fun, quirky, up to date and innovative.

Integrity: Whether honesty and transparency are associated with the brand.

Longevity: Long-established brands that adults may recall using in childhood.

Brands must focus on their overall message and values before they decide where in the market they belong and which above element best suits.

Superstars – such as Ben & Jerry’s, Magners and Müller – have high popularity and great momentum, while brands such as Green & Black’s, Gü and Innocent are deemed rising stars because, despite good momentum, they have low popularity scores. Meanwhile, Andrex, Dairylea, Heinz Tomato Ketchup, McCain and Walkers are settled greats with high popularity but low momentum while brands in the category of former glory include Bovril, Jammie Dodgers, Marmite, Ski Yoghurts and Twinings – all of which have low momentum and low popularity.

Those in the rising star category say, “We don’t advertise. We do a small amount of social media but it has little impact on what we do. The most important communication method that we have is packaging and making sure that the brand is available at as many places as consumers want to consume it.”

Whereas, settled greats say, “TV and radio are a great way of engaging with our consumers, generating scale, awareness and emotional connection to the brand.”

The leading drivers in the study were found to be affinity and visibility, responsible for two-thirds of brands’ scores. But the full set of drivers must be juggles successfully if brands want to achieve, and maintain a spot in the superstar category and remain most popular.

GEM PTY is a marketing agency that specialise in customer acquisition. The firm use direct marketing and face-to-face marketing techniques to ensure their clients’ services/products are reflected in the most positive light. By providing a high level of customer service and professionalism they are able to represent their clients to the highest standards. This high level of service ensures a positive response, longevity, brand awareness, customer retention and encourages a positive reputation for their clients.